Steve Madeley names ‘most-obvious’ senior player to leave West Brom this summer
The Athletic journalist Steve Madeley has claimed that West Brom defender Ahmed Hegazi is the “most obvious player” to leave the Hawthorns this summer.
Slaven Bilic is closing in on his first signing this summer, with Brighton defender Shane Duffy potentially joining before the start of pre-season. [Sky Sports]
That could mean that the Baggies look to offload one of their current defenders, with Hegazi, Semi Ajayi and Kyle Bartley all playing significant roles in promotion.
Hegazi has been linked with a move away before, with Al-Ittihad confirming their own interest in the past year.
Madeley admitted that although Duffy’s arrival doesn’t guarantee an exit, he certainly thinks it could happen before October’s deadline.
“I don’t think it necessarily means an outgoing, but I definitely think that’s a possibility,” he wrote in his Mail Bag on Wednesday.
“Ahmed Hegazi is the most obvious player to leave. There was interest in him in January and if he’s not guaranteed a starting role, he might want to see what options are available to him.”
Hegazi himself has commented on the speculation before, claiming that he has two years left on his current deal and that a move away has never been discussed with the club’s hierarchy.
It wouldn’t be up to the Egyptian international though, who will drop down the pecking order once Duffy arrives from Brighton.
Ajayi will almost definitely start in the Premier League alongside the Irish international, and it will then be a straight shootout between Hegazi and Bartley between who is third-choice.
The 29-year-old needs to sort out his inconsistencies if he is to make it in the Premier League once more, and the possible pressure of an exit could motivate Hegazi to improve once again.
In other West Brom news, these Antonee Robinson comments could prove that the Hawthorns is the perfect destination
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